Q. When did Secret Shine starts, tell us about the history...
It's quite well documented on Wikipedia so I'll give you a potted history, It started in a loft room in Bournemouth with Jamie and I (Scott) writing some demos on a 4-track tape recorder we bought with some money my grandad gave me (supposed to be for my studies). We posted out 3 demos and to our huge surprise 2 of the labels (Sarah and A Turntable Friend) came back with record offers. Luckily they both liked different songs! Then we added some members, lost some members, drifted away, came back together and 23 years later, we're still here.

Q: Who are your influences?
Speaking for Jamie and I who write the material, we grew up with all those 80's pop synth bands like Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Duran Duran(!) and then indie guitar bands like The Smiths, Housemartins, Stone Roses and The Sundays. There are so many other personal influences – Young Marble Giants, Pixies, Kate Bush, Sonic Youth, Velvet Underground, The Beatles to name just a few. Our early music with our first band The Dreamscape combined that jangly guitar with hard synth sound but the rise of the early shoegaze/dreampop bands like JAMC, Cocteau Twins, MBV, Slowdive and The Pale Saints helped us shape our sound into something more 'of the moment'.

Q. Made a list of 5 albums of all time…
I will answer in the context of the influence on Secret Shine and 'the time' rather than our own personal favourites:
Psychocandy – JAMC
Blue Bell Knoll – Cocteau Twins
Isn't Anything – MBV
Victorialand – Cocteau Twins
Dolittle – Pixies

Q. How do you feel playing live?
We love playing live. Since we returned in 2006 we have played Denmark, USA 3 times, Sweden twice, Germany 4 times and our first gig in Spain beckons. It's quite difficult for us to play regularly as we are 5 people with very different lives and obligations, even though we are all good friends.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
Jamie and I record a handful of demos individually and sometimes together, we then play them to the band and we decide which songs to perform and record properly. We recorded our new album in a week (10 songs), in a studio, in a beautiful part of France, isolated from the outside world and worked with an excellent producer Corin Dingley (also in his own band Alpha). This was the best experience since our comeback - previously we've recorded everything at home which takes away some of the camaraderie and creativity of being together.

Q. Which new bands do you recommended?
I'm rubbish with new bands but currently enjoying a good new JAMC / shoegaze-influenced band called Fever Dream.

Q: Which bands you love to made a cover version?
Hmmmm, maybe something by the Velvet Underground or I always fancied doing 'Across the Universe' by the Beatles. I thought it would sound good in our style?

Q: What´s the plans for future....
We will mix the new album hopefully by the end of March and release it as soon as possible in 2015. We have just signed a deal with Saint Marie Records in the USA who also plan to reissue 'Untouched'.

Q: Any parting words?
Not sure I have any incredible words of wisdom but to anyone who has bought our records or sent us nice messages about our music, or come to see us live – thanks! It's been fun (most of the time)!
*
*
*
Thanks